RDHAPs Are Leading the Future
California’s registered dental hygienists in alternative practice (RDHAPs) are transforming access to oral health by providing preventive care directly to underserved communities with no dentist on-site required. Now, a Central Coast community welcomes its first RDHAP-owned practice, launched by a driven hygienist determined to expand care, comfort, and community impact.
Registered dental hygienists in alternative practice (RDHAPs) are licensed dental providers uniquely trained to deliver preventive and therapeutic dental hygiene care independently, without dentist supervision, to underserved and special-needs populations. This advanced licensure category, established in California in 1998, was created in response to a significant lack of access to oral healthcare for low-income families, homebound seniors, individuals with disabilities, and communities located in dental health professional shortage areas. Today, more than 600 RDHAP licenses have been issued, the vast majority owned and operated by women.1
To become an RDHAP, a dental hygienist must hold a bachelor’s degree, complete at least 2,000 hours of clinical practice as a hygienist, and undergo an additional 150 hours of specialized training focused on providing care outside traditional offices and treating medically fragile or mobility-impaired patients. RDHAPs can establish their own practices, operate mobile or portable clinics, or serve in schools, nursing facilities, group homes, and more, making them a vital part of California’s oral health safety net. They hold Medicare NPI numbers, are recognized by Denti-Cal, and can independently provide any procedure allowed under general supervision, from prophylaxis and sealants to fluoride treatments and oral health education.1
RDHAPs were born from decades of evidence demonstrating that dental hygienists can safely and effectively deliver preventive care in alternative settings. Research has demonstrated that RDHAP outcomes are equal to those in dentist-led offices, and in the program’s 20-plus years, there have been no patient-care complaints against RDHAPs. Their work not only prevents disease progression in at-risk groups but also significantly reduces barriers such as transportation, fear, and cost.1
Hollister’s First RDHAP Practice Opens Its Doors
Hollister, California, in the Central Coast region, is now home to its first RDHAP dental hygiene practice, Vibrant Smiles Dental Hygiene, opened by Vanessa Salinas, RDHAP. After 17 years in dentistry, she recognized that many patients avoid traditional dental offices and wanted to offer a calmer, more approachable alternative for routine hygiene services. Her new practice focuses on comfortable, one-on-one preventive care in a soothing setting, designed to ease dental anxiety and provide affordable options for patients who simply need prophylaxes.
Beyond Salinas’ physical office, she also brings care directly to the community, setting up portable services in schools, fire academies, nursing facilities, and locations where mobility or access challenges make traditional visits impossible. Her pricing structure aims to remove cost barriers, and her mission includes supporting local dental hygienists through future educational programming. Driven, community-minded, and committed to expanding oral health access, she hopes her new practice will inspire more dental hygienists to pursue RDHAP licensure and bring alternative-practice care to their own communities.
References
- California Dental Hygienists’ Association. What Is an RDHAP?
- Spencer B. Local resident opens Hollister’s first dental hygienist practice.
